John l



5. fs fr @auch gratta @strat @frn l.JOHN LQLAY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND H. O. PERRY, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 66,971, dale-d Jiu-ly 23, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM ENGINES.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Beit known that l, JOHN L. LAY, of the city of Buialo, in the county of Erie, and State of New York have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vertical Steam Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of .the line at :v of fig. 1, with a portion of the head broken away to exhibit the packing and man-hole. Y

v Figure 3 is an enlarged plan of the packing detached.

Figure 4 is a cross-section of the passa-ge v. v

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. j

My invention consists in the manner of constructing the metallic packing intervening between the two cylinders, and also in the arrangement and use of man-holes formed in the sides of the cylinders with reference to the packing. I

Inthe drawings, A represents the upper and B the lower cylinder; C the top head of the latter, which is preferably cast with the upper cylinder, although the latter maybe cast separate and be bolted to the said head;. D is the piston of the upper and E the piston of the lower cylinder, secured to and operated by the same rod F; G is the exhaust pipe of the smaller cylinder connecting with the steam-chest J of the lower cylinder, with the valves so arranged that the exhausted steam of the upper cylinder acts on the piston of the lower cylinder; H I are man-holes formed in the sides of the cylinders A B respectively, through the former of which access is had for adjusting the packing between the cylinders, and through the latter for adjusting the piston packing of the lowei` cylinder. The head C is cast with a recess or depressed portion in'the centre, forming a receptacle, K, for the metallic packing L, as represented. This chamber is provided with a cover or bonnet, m, bolted to the head, The packing L consists of three rings n op, cut in segments in the ordinary manner, the contiguous surfaces of the two inner rings op being tongued and grooved, (as shown in iig. 1,) the whole being retained in position by a band, g, of steel or other flexible metal, (lig. The ends of this band cross each other, being recessed on their contiguous edges for the purpose, and terminate in ears 1' s,.as represented in iig. 3. A rod, t, with a pivot and shoulder attire end, the former tting in a hole in the bar r, and provided with a` thread which screws through the ear s, 'as shown, enables the band and packing to be tightened or loosened, as required, by simply turning the rodt by an arm or wheel, u, attached to its end on the outside of the cylinder. This red is enclosed in a pipe or passage, u, enst with the cylinder-head, and communicating from the packing-chamber to the outside of the cylinder. If, from any cause, the packing becomes loose, so as to leak, the steam which Vwill then ll the chamber K will pass through the pipe e around the rod t to the outside, thereby indicating to the engineer the condition of the packing. The man-holes are provided with coveis I and H, closely fitted with ground joints, their inner surface being lush with the bore of the cylinders, so that the pistons travel over them without obstrdction. v

The advantages of the use of man-holes, arranged as here shown in the side of the cylinders, is very apparent in engines of this class, being designed for propelling marine vessels in which the greatest degree of compactness consistent with their size and power is demanded by the restricted space to which they are limited. By such an arrangement of' the man-hole the cylinders'may be entered for adjusting or replacing the packing of the rod in the intervening heads, and that of the two pistons, without removing any part of the engine. Without such an arrangement the packingL could only be reached by the removal of the upper head of cylinder A, and also the piston D, and to repair the lower piston E, or the piston-rod, the removal of the entire upper cylinder and the intervening head would be necessary, thus involving much labor and expense in engines ofthe large dimensions of this class. v

My improved construction of packing is also designed to economize, by its greater durability than hemp, cotton or rublierpacking, its ready adjustment'by means of the screw-rod t and hand-wheel u, and its long con-` tinuanee in an efficient state when once properlyadjusted. It also gives notice automatically of any derangement by the leakage of any steam through the pipe v which escapes around the piston-rod. The contraction-of the packing-rings or segments laterally around the rod, by the action of the screw on the band g, affords .a 'more elective means of tightening than where the ordinary Shilling-box and'gland areiemployed, and enables a slight turn of the screw-rod to compensate by direct pressure for the looseness arising from wear. I

1. The arrangement of the man-holes H I, with reference tothe packing L and pistons D E, as and for the purposes set forth. h A

2. I also claim the packing L7 constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my naine in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN L. LAY.

Witnesses JAY HYATT, SAMUEL LAKE. 

